carpenter



(ModeL) O. C. CARPENTER.

BUSTLE.

Patented July 12, 1887.

N. PETERS, Pholo-liihugnphur, wmm m n a UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

CHARLES C. CARPENTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,378, dated July 12,1887.

Application filed April 527, 1887. Serial No. 236,281. (MorloL) To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Oi -iRLEs O. CARPEN- TER, of the city and county ofNew York, in the State of New York, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Bustles,

of which the following is a specification.

The improvement relates to that class of bustles in which the dress isdistended by springs, approximately horizontal, extending across theback, with provisions for widening andnarrowing the back to vary theextent of pro ection of the hustle, and which springs fold up out of theway when the bustle is pressed against the back of a chair or otherobject. I employ springs extending across, each independent of theothers, except as they are tied together by a flexible connection, andprovide a tensiouspring on each side, which acts leverwise on the lowerspring to move it downward by pulling upward on the ends, which areextended forward past the fulcrum. My springs act freely andindependently. They fold upward out of the way with freedom whenrequired, and resume their places promptly and perfectly when thecompressing force is removed.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, andrepresent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectionthrough the main portion. The strong lines in this figure show thebustle extended. The dotted lines show it partially collapsed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts inboth thefigures where they occur.

A is the waistband, and A flaps of muslin or other suitable material.

B is a lacing connecting the two flaps and inserted through eyelets setin A,aud adapted to serve all in the ordinary manner.

0 is a tape or flexible tie extending rearward and downward from thecenter of the back. I

I) D are springs extending across the back in approximately horizontalpositions, connected at thcrear by the tape 0. These springs areindependently pivoted at each end (I to an upright piece, E, mounted oneach side. They are independent, exceptas they are connected by theflexible lie 0.

G is a spring nearly corresponding in position and function to thesprings 1). It serves as the lowermost in the series. It is pivoted ateach side, not to the upright E, but at a point, 9, farther backward anddownward. Each pivot-point g is supported by a brace, E, which extendsobliquely downward from the corresponding uprights E. A transversepiece, E connects the lower portion of E and E. The bottom spring, G, isstouter than the others, and extends forward of the pivot g at eachside. H H are contractile or tension springs. I have in my experimentsused helical springs of small diameter, made of hard brass. The upperend is attached to the up right E at h. The lower end is attached to theforward end of the spring G at h. The force of these springs H, pullingupward on the forward ends of G, holds the entire set of springs G Ddownward to the extent permitted by the flexible tie C; but whenever thebustle is pressed against the back of a chair or other object theseveral springs can yield upward independently. \Vhen the lowermostspring, G, alone is pressed upward, it may yield, the others allremaining in their original places. Vhen the spring G and one of thesprings D are pressed upward, the two may yield without the other.

J J are springs extending obliquely across the upper portion of thehustle and fastened together and to the uprights E, as shown. The

tape 0 connects and steadies these, as well as the more movable springsD and G.

My invention gives an independence of action to the springs D and G,which is highly useful.

I have in my experiments used for the springs I) and G what aresometimes known as duplex springs two flat springs of steel placed edgeto edge alittle distance apart and connected by a covering of braid. Ihave made the pivots by setting eyelets through the braid which formsthe central portion of the breadth of such springs. I have coveredspecified.

2. In a bustle, the waistband A, flaps A,

,lacing B, side pieces, EE, and upper springs,

J, in combination with each other and with the lowermost spring, G,pivoted at g and extending forward beyond such pivot, the extensionbeing connected at the forward ends, h, to tension-springs H, and theflexibly-connected springs D, pivoted at d, all arranged 20 for jointoperation, substantially as herein specified. In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand, at New York city, this 26th day of April,1887, in the presence of two snbscrib- 2 5 ing witnesses.

CHAS. G, CARPENTER.

WVitnesses:

M; F. BOYLE, H. A. J oHNsToNn.

